Flick to remain Germany manager despite 2022 World Cup group stage exit

• Wednesday meeting finalised decision
• DFB president has "full confidence" in Flick
• Euro 2024 next major tournament for Germany

WHAT HAPPENED? A two-and-a-half hour meeting held on Wednesday morning confirmed the decision to keep Flick, and DFB president Bernd Neuendorf offered strong support of the head coach in a public statement.

WHAT DID THEY SAY? "We are all convinced that the 2024 European Championship in our own country represents a great opportunity for football in Germany," Neuendorf said. "Our goal is to make this tournament a sporting success. We have full confidence in Hansi Flick that he will master this challenge together with his team."

Flick added: "My coaching team and I are optimistic about the European Championship in our own country. We as a team can achieve much more than we showed in Qatar. We have missed a great opportunity there. We will learn our lessons from that."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Flick's men were eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, a huge disappointment that continued their rut at major tournaments since last reaching a semi-final at Euro 2016. Still, the manager's deep experience with the national team (he was an assistant from 2006-14) and success at Bayern Munich apparently granted him a second chance from his federation.

IN A PHOTO:

WHAT'S NEXT FOR GERMANY? While the nation is disappointed in the performance in Qatar, there was the silver lining of the next generation making a positive impression. Teenager Jamal Musiala, for example, was bright in his three World Cup starts, and Germany will look to develop promising youngsters around him in the coming years.